R. Scott Moxley Wins Journalist of the Year from LA Press Club!

This past Sunday, our own R. Scott Moxley was among the circle of champions in the L.A. Press Club's most prestigious category: Journalist of the Year. Moxley won because...well, he's R. Scott pinche Moxley, the greatest, most-feared reporter in Orange County ever since he started with us in 1996. And while he'll never get love from media, political and society losers in OC, it's great that people who actually matter know the real deal.

Specifically, Mox won for his continued coverage of OC's epic jailhouse snitch scandal. From the judge's comments:

R. Scott Moxley's work is a searing corrective in a society that often fails to question prosecutorial power. Woven throughout his stories are narratives that bring to life the injustices possible when prosecutors put winning ahead of civil rights. Moxley has also delivered something readers want: continuity and dedication to following a story through to its end

BOOM.

Mark Dancey

But Moxley didn't just win one award; he also nabbed first place for Commentary, again for his snitch scandal coverage. From the judge's coverage:

Moxley's commentary and analysis, examining corruption in the county jail and the prosecutor's office reads like an investigative thriller. Yet his real service is as a public watchdog, helping citizens make sense of how the fraud and self-serving misconduct perpetuated by some of the public's most trusted law enforcement officials has resulted in freeing the worst of criminals.

These victories follow up another great OC Press Club awards run by this infernal rag, in which we got 18 awards and one honorable mention. In that roundup, we got 10 first-place awards, with the big winners being Moxley again, music editor Nate Jackson with three, and our former clubs editor, Kristine Hoang, getting two (we miss you, Kristine!). OC Press Club winners here.

Gustavo Arellano is the editor of OC Weekly, author of the syndicated column "¡Ask a Mexican!", and Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. He started at the paper with an angry, fake letter to the editor and went from there—only in Anacrime!